Brassiere

ABSTRACT

The improved brassiere includes an inner band part, the base of which is anchored immediately below the breasts of the wearer. The band has an outwardly extending flange, right and left parts of which form a curved support for the breasts. A suspension strap for each flange part is fixedly connected to the forward terminus of the corresponding shoulder strap. Parts of the suspension strap on opposite sides are individually adjustable. The relative location of the point of connection of the shoulder strap can be adjusted as well as the total length of the suspension strap. These adjustments are firmly held.

Feb. 15, 1972 United States Patent Nobbs 2,578,175 12/1951 Couzzi...................................128/489 [54] BRASSIERE Muliord J. Nobbs, 3334 Hacunda Bou- [72] Inventor:

Primary Examiner-Richard J. Scanlan, Jr. AttorneyFlam and Flam levard, Hacienda Heights, Calif. 91745 Feb. 20, 1970 ABSTRACT [22] Filed:

Appl. No.:

Parts of the suspension strap on opposite sides are individually adjustable. The relative location of the point of connection of References Cited the shoulder strap can be adjusted as well as the total length of UNITED STATES PATENTS the suspension strap. These adjustments are firmly held. Ramsell 2,864,375 12/1958 Steinmetz 128/484 5 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEBFEB 15 I972 3.642.009

sum 1 or 2 IN VEN me MULF'O/QD J. M

BRASSIERE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION a. Field of Invention This invention relates to a brassiere of the general type shown and described in U.S. letters Pat. No. 3,213,462 to Alberta P. Ramsell, in which the brassiere includes an inner detachable fabric bust-supporting band. The band has a'base part held firmly against the rib cage immediately below the bust. Fabric shelflike flanges extend outwardly from the upper edge of the base part and are caused to cup about the breasts. The vertical load imposed on each flange part is transmitted to the corresponding shoulder strap by the aid of a suspension strap. The strap has ends attached to the flange on opposite sides, and forms an upwardly extending loop through which the corresponding breast projects. The top portion of each loop is secured to the frontal terminus of the shoulder strap.

b. Discussion of Prior Art In the said Ramsell patent the shoulder strap is part of the outer brassiere member. The suspension strap is threaded through a fabric loop in order to provide a detachable connection to the shoulder strap. This fabric loop necessarily permits sliding movement; hence, the place of attachment of the suspension strap to the shoulder strap may change as the body moves. It is not possible to maintain a desired distribution of load on opposite sides of the suspension strap. Nor is it possible to maintain a desired position of the shoulder strap terminus along the suspension strap.

The band serves the primary function of supporting the breasts. No vertical stress is sustained by the outer brassiere member which would tend to conform the outer brassiere member to the body contours. There is thus a tendency for the upper edges of the outer brassiere member to fall away and form a gap, especially along the sides adjacent the armpits. The base of the band tends to twist and curl, impairing proper engagement with the rib cage.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved brassiere utilizing an inner breast-supporting band part free of the foregoing disadvantages. For this purpose, I provide an improved three-way swivel structure between the forward terminus of the shoulder strap and the two sides of the suspension straps. The shoulder strap is made a part of and detachable with the inner band part. Each side of the suspension strap is provided with means for length adjustment whereby a proper balance or weight distribution is achieved. The adjustment holds since the connection to the swivel is firm.

I provide an elastic shirred arrangement for the upper side edges of the outer brassiere member in order to ensure a proper fit and to avoid gapping. The ends of the base of the band where they are attached to the outer brassiere member are flared outwardly in order to provide stability against twisting and curling.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A detailed description of the invention will be made with reference to the accompanying drawings, which drawings are to scale. The description of the invention is of the best presently contemplated mode of carrying out the invention. This description is not be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the two brassiere members viewed from the inside.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the brassiere members attached.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along a plane corresponding to line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary front elevational view showing the swivel structure.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are sectional views taken along planes corresponding to lines 5-5 and 6--6 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing one of the band ends.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The brassiere shown in FIG. 1 includes an inner band part 10 and an outer covering part 12. The outer covering part is adapted to encircle the body of the wearer and to be secured in place by the aid of companion detachable fastener elements 14 and 16. Preferably, the companion detachable fasteners provide a means for girth adjustment.

The inner band part has a base 18 (see FIG. 3) that is designed to engage the rib cage of the wearer so that the top edge of the base part falls along the lower junction of the flaccid breast tissue with the rib cage flesh. In the present instance, the base part 10 is formed of two generally trapezoidal sections 20 and 22 joined in end-to-end relationship, the center of the band being located at the breast cleavage.

The base elements 20 and 22 diverge outwardly from the central junction. As shown in FIG. 7, the distal ends are fairly wide. Fastener elements 24 and 26 in the form of hooks, are attached in vertical array along the end of the base sections. These hooks are cooperable with companion fastener elements 28 and 30 in the form of eyes carried on the inside of the outer brassiere member. Substantial stability of the base part is provided by virtue of the wide vertical spacing of fasteners.

Sewn along each upper edge of the base elements 20 and 22 are shelflike flanges 32 and 34. A single binding strip 33 attaches the central ends of the flanges as well as the central ends of the base elements 20 and 22. The flanges are cut to such size that they conform to the rounded configuration of the lower breast portions.

The weight loads imposed upon the flanges are transferred to a pair of shoulder straps 36 and 38 by the aid of suspension straps 40 and 42, one for each breast. The suspension strap 40 for the left side, for example, is made in two parts 40a and 40b joined together by a ring 44 (FIGS. 3 and 4). The ends of the suspension strap parts 40a and 40b remote from the ring are respectively fixedly attached to the flange 32 at spaced portions thereof in order to form a loop through which the breast projects. The length of each part 40a and 40b is separately adjustable by the aid of suitable buckle structures 46 (see particularly FIG. 6). The left shoulder strap 36 is joined to the swivel ring 44. The other end of the shoulder strap 36 is provided with a hook 48 (FIG. 1) detachably cooperable with a fabric loop50 sewn to the outer brassiere member at the back of the garment. The shoulder strap 36 also includes an adjustable buckle structure 52.

By adjustment of the three components that meet at the swivel ring, a desired weight distribution is achieved and a proper transfer of load to the shoulder strap is accomplished. As the body moves, the fulcrum point defined by the ring 44 stays in place and does not shift. Requisite support is achieved while the breast tissue is not constricted.

The outer brassiere member has a pair of cup elements 54 and 56. Fabric loops 58 and 60 at the top of the cups detachably cooperate with hooks 62 (FIG. 4) formed as a part of the buckle for the corresponding shoulder strap.

The top edge of the outer brassiere part 12 is shirred on both sides of the garment. On each side of the shirred portion extends from the corresponding cup attachment loop 58 or 60 to the armpit region. Elastic strips 63 (FIG. 5) are zigzagstitched 64 while stretched in order to provide the shirred effect. The shirred edges expand and contract as required to fit the body of the user, the garment being designed to produce when donned a slight stretch along the shirred edges.

I claim:

I. In a brassiere: a band having a base part cut to conform to the chest of the wearer beneath the breast so that the upper edge of said base part falls at the lower portion of the'breast tissue; said band having a pair of flanges attached to and extending outwardly of the upper edges of said base part on right and left sides and cut to cup around the lower portions of the breasts of the wearer; a suspension strap for each of the flanges, each suspension strap comprising a pair of separate parts, one end of one part being attached to the flange near the front central region of the brassiere, one end of the other part being attached to the flange at the side of the garment; a fulcrum member for each suspension strap and fixedly anchoring the other ends of said suspension strap parts; each of said parts having means for selectively determining the operative length thereof; a pair of shoulder straps having frontal termini respectively anchored to said fulcrum members; and an outer brassiere covering part having a pair of breast cups; and means detachably securing said outer brassiere covering and said band.

2. The brassiere as set forth in claim 1 in which said fulcrum means comprises a loop, each shoulder strap terminus and the corresponding other ends of said suspension strap parts being attached to the corresponding loop in angularly spaced array, said shoulder straps being detachably secured to said outer brassiere covering at the other ends of said shoulder straps whereby said shoulder straps are detachable with said band.

3. The brassiere asset forth in claim 1 in which said outer brassiere covering is itself a body-encircling member having detachable fasteners at its ends, said base part of said band having ends terminating short of said ends of said outer brassiere covering.

4. The brassiere as set forth in claim 3 in which the said ends of said base part are flared outwardly, said means detachably securing said outer brassiere covering and said band including a long row of vertically arrayed fastener elements on said flared ends to stabilize said band part whereby twisting of said band part is largely prevented.

5. The brassiere as set forth in claim 4 in which said fulcrum means comprises a loop, each shoulder strap terminus and the corresponding other ends of said suspension strap parts being attached to the corresponding loop in angularly spaced array, said shoulder straps being detachably secured to said outer brassiere covering at the other ends of said shoulder straps whereby said shoulder straps are detachable with said band. 

1. In a brassiere: a band having a base part cut to conform to the chest of the wearer beneath the breast so that the upper edge of said base part falls at the lower portion of the breast tissue; said band having a pair of flanges attached to and extending outwardly of the upper edges of said base part on right and left sides and cut to cup around the lower portions of the breasts of the wearer; a suspension strap for each of the flanges, each suspension strap comprising a pair of separate parts, one end of one part being attached to the flange near the front central region of the brassiere, one end of the other part being attached to the flange at the side of the garment; a fulcrum member for each suspension strap and fixedly anchoring the other ends of said suspension strap parts; each of said parts having means for selectively determining the operative length thereof; a pair of shoulder straps having frontal termini respectively anchored to said fulcrum members; and an outer brassiere covering part having a pair of breast cups; and means detachably securing said outer brassiere covering and said band.
 2. The brassiere as set forth in claim 1 in which said fulcrum means comprises a loop, each shoulder strap terminus and the corresponding other ends of said suspension strap parts being attached to the corresponding loop in angularly spaced array, said shoulder straps being detachably secured to said outer brassiere covering at the other ends of said shoulder straps whereby said shoulder straps are detachable with said band.
 3. The brassiere as set forth in claim 1 in which said outer brassiere covering is itself a body-encircling member having detachable fasteners at its ends, said base part of said band having ends terminating short of said ends of said outer brassiere covering.
 4. The brassiere as set forth in claim 3 in which the said ends of said base part are flared outwardly, said means detachably securing said outer brassiere covering and said band including a long row of vertically arrayed fastener elements on said flared ends to stabilize said band part whereby twisting of said band part is largely prevented.
 5. The brassiere as set forth in claim 4 in which said fulcrum means comprises a loop, each shoulder strap terminus and the corresponding other ends of said suspension strap parts being attached to the corresponding loop in angularly spaced array, said shoulder straps being detachably secured to said outer brassiere covering at the other ends of said shoulder straps whereby said shoulder straps are detachable with said band. 